When it comes to history, Gail and Ian Savage don’t just read about it - they live it.

The Halfway couple, of Cairnswell Avenue, have a passion for historical re-enactment, and recently took part in Scotland’s Festival of History, a bash held at Chatelherault.

The duo are regularly involved with the 8th Augusta society, a group who research and recreate the Romans who lived in Britain during the year 100 AD.

Over the summer months the group, who started in North Wales but have members throughout England and Scotland, appear at various festivals and events and help to bring that period of time back to life.

It was a passion that Gail (36) discovered when she was still a teenager, and she’s continued to enjoy it over the past 20 years.

She said: “I watched the raising of the Mary Rose [the Tudor warship], which sparked my interest in history as a child, and then I got involved in an archaeological group as I grew older.

“It was through that I became involved in historical re-enactments, which I’ve been doing for over 20 years now!”

As part of the group’s activities, they often encounter youngsters who are studying the Roman era for history projects at school.

Gail believes that getting to see Roman culture recreated up close is a huge benefit to children’s learning.

“The children can come and talk to us, but they can also see and smell and touch exactly what it feels like to be a Roman.

“For me, it’s all about bringing it all to life and that’s the most important way of bringing history to a younger generation.”

Her husband Ian (51) became involved in the legion after meeting Gail.

He said: “A lot of the appeal is discovering more about the Romans through it.

“As we’re a living history group, there’s nothing in our displays that hasn’t been authenticated.

“We’ll look at finds, and when people say this is how it works, we actually try them and say no, this is actually how it works.

“With caligae footwear [boots used by Roman soldiers], most of what’s been found has flat studs on the bottom.

“Through using them, we realised that wasn’t right, and one of our members looked at it more closely.

“We think a lot of the caligae that have been discovered had actually been in at the cobblers for repair.

“The group is also looking at the food that was available, what was cooked and imported and exported, and things like that.”

Ian agrees it’s important that the society help to showcase Roman life for younger generations.

“We’re trying to keep the history alive and pass it on to a younger generation.

“A lot of the kids who come along, they’re doing the Romans at school, but you can’t really appreciate the Romans until you’ve met one!”

Members of the 8th Augusta now include members as far afield as Australia and Italy, and members of the group attend events, in costume, from Colchester to Inverness, with their next event in Sheffield.

The couple also take part in 1940s enactments as well.

For more information on the 8th Augusta, visit their website at www.roman.org.uk.